The ict opportunity for a disability-inclusive development framework

The way forward

“It is recognised that the right of accessibility may be in conflict with authorial and other rights and may conflict with the commercial duty to maximise shareholder value; and it may also be a case that in some jurisdictions corporate social responsibility is subsidiary to maximising shareholder value. It is therefore vital that such issues be resolved through the rational application of economic criteria to determine the appropriate level of economic investment in accessibility by government, commerce and civil society and to determine the degree and nature of transparent regulation and legislation based on the importance of the goods and services and the proportionality of investment to social gain.”

There are also potential risks that should be taken into consideration when generalizing the use of ICT in development, in order to avoid that these technologies introduce new barriers. The main risk is creating the expectation that accessible ICT alone can solve all the challenges faced by persons with disabilities. Maximizing the potential benefit of ICT requires a proper understanding of the full range of challenges and barriers faced by persons with disabilities in each local context, as well as a proper definition and implementation of effective national public policies so that the right ICT-enabled services can be introduced.

Furthermore, it is important to acknowledge that as there is a wide range of accessibility barriers faced by persons with disabilities and the interventions using ICT could vary radically. The implementation and use of ICT will not have the expected results unless these pre-conditions are met. For instance, all stakeholders should be cautious that widespread implementation of accessible ICT does not put culture at risk, as the observed decline in deaf individuals learning sign language and blind individuals learning Braille is already becoming a trend. It is important to stress that learning sign language and Braille are fundamental parts of intellectual development as they are integral to acquiring language and reading and writing skills. ICT should not be seen as a substitute for that, but as another layer of communication and inclusion (e.g. remote learning/distance education and language development for deaf children and adults).

The second most relevant risk identified in the consultation is a possible widening of the digital divide. The prevailing costs of assistive technologies may introduce the digital exclusion of persons with disabilities living in a developing country that may not be able to afford these technologies or, increase existing inequalities and multiple discrimination against persons with disabilities who, in addition to discrimination based on disability, also experience discrimination on the basis of gender or indigenous heritage, for example^xx. However, it should be noted that there is a wide range of technology available with various degrees of product and service specialization, at a wide range of price points. Digital exclusion is particularly linked to high-end assistive technologies which costs will be relatively much higher than the majority of assistive technologies.

The pace of technological change is also a risk to be considered. Often ICT with accessible features lag behind new generations of ICT coming out as often as every six months. Moreover, accessibility features are often only added after initial release of new technology and goods, causing delay and inequalities in persons with disabilities’ access to ICT. Accessibility add-ons or “fixes” are sometimes available only at additional cost and much later than the release of goods- by which time sometimes newer generations may soon be emerging or may have emerged. Thus, an additional cost is the extra time persons with disabilities and/or others spend trying to increase accessibility of purchased ICT – time which obviously cannot be recuperated. There is a risk of not identifying, minimizing and reducing such costs, in all countries^xxi. These and other risks are addressed in this section, which presents a proposal of priority actions to be undertaken by each major group of stakeholders to leverage the ICT opportunity for persons with disabilities.

The Role of Governments

As the number of State Parties to the UNCRPD continues increasing, work is required at policy level to foster a greater awareness that the UNCRPD is a comprehensive and integral normative instrument which highlights the importance of ICT and accessibility. Accessibility and use of ICT by persons with disabilities should be seen as an integral part in enabling them to enjoy all human rights and fundamental freedoms.

It is important to raise awareness of policy and decision makers on the need for elaboration of interlinked normative frameworks regarding the use ICT and assistive technologies by persons with disabilities. UNESCO’s Global Report^xxii (2013) states that there are very few countries with a dedicated ministry for persons with disabilities. Additionally, in many countries all matters relating to disability are handled only under the ministry of social welfare - including education, employment, etc. There is now a positive trend to move away from this situation, however. In most cases, interventions for this important group of the population are undertaken by multiple agencies or ministries of government. Efforts to do a situation analysis and implement article 33 is suggested as a preliminary step governments should take to implement the UNCRPD. Figure 13 presents the prioritization of actions as defined by the expert views gathered in the consultation.

Figure 13: Priority actions for governments

Governments

The notion of accessibility entails the removal of environmental barriers that prevent person with disabilities from fully participating in economic and social activities. By leveraging their spending power in buying goods and services, national governments can address the market failure whereby demand for accessible products and services does not meet the offer of these products because of their lack of availability, affordability and/or accessibility.

Introducing mandatory procurement policies that incorporate accessibility-related requirements in calls for tenders has the potential to create a critical mass, conceivably turning the market of accessible products into an interesting and profitable one for vendors, developers and manufacturers. Such competitive market would lead to a greater availability of these products, consequently decreasing their final price for persons with disabilities. Additionally, it would raise awareness of vendors, developers and manufacturers of their roles in including persons with disabilities and in upholding the UNCRPD.

This is particularly important when considering that while the overall population that benefits from accessible ICT is large, each individual group of users with disabilities (e.g. mobility, sensorial or cognitive) may not be large enough to influence market forces. National regulators and policy makers can address this market failure through public interventions and activities such as, but not limited to, the incorporation of accessibility requirements into public procurement policies, the introduction of subsidies and the strengthening of research and development.

While it is widely acknowledged that ICT enhance the participation and inclusion of persons with disabilities in social, economic, political and cultural life, the reference to ICT is rarely incorporated into disability-related legislation. The Broadband Commission for Digital Development recently conducted a review on the inclusion of key socio-economic policy issues such as youth, gender and ICT accessibility in national broadband policies (March 2013). The results of this review show that only 37% of the policies analysed include relevant references to ICT accessibility. In comparison to the 10 other issues examined in the analysis, ICT accessibility was the third-to-last in national broadband policy inclusions.

Having analysed references to ICT accessibility in national broadband plans, the review found that 14% of these policies referred to “improving the accessibility of ICT” while 12% referred to “promoting economic and social inclusion through the use of accessible ICT” and only 7% of the plans included both mentions (see figure 13).

Similarly, the 2012 G3ict UNCRPD ICT Accessibility Progress Report found that only 36.4% of countries which have ratified the UNCRPD have a definition of accessibility which includes ICT or electronic media in the country laws or regulations.

Figure 14: Countries that included ICT accessibility in their national broadband plans (Description of the Venn diagram)

Bold: countries having signed the UNCRPD

Bold and underlined: countries having signed and ratified the UNCRPD

Source: ITU and Broadband Commission

This demonstrates a lack of understanding of the opportunity that ICT accessibility represents for enabling the social and economic inclusion of persons with disabilities. In many countries, the definition of disability is complex and evolving. It can also differ significantly from one country to another. This lack of harmonization in the definition has an impact on interventions, recourses and tools needed or to be allocated. Similarly, the lack of understanding that ICT and assistive technologies play an important role in helping persons with disabilities to make the transition from education to work (from acquisition of soft skills to technical, and societal skills) is also linked to societal attitudes, existing stereotypes, and even harmful practices. Furthermore, updating disability legislation to include ICT in the legal definition of accessibility would also allow to mainstream disability in ICT-related policies, plans and programmes. Lastly, opportunities brought by universal service funds are often put forward to finance or subsidize accessibility-related initiatives. Considering this recommendation, effective legislation is a critical prerequisite to bring about effective and sustainable improvements.

By undertaking the aforementioned three priority actions, governments will be creating enabling environment that provides incentives to other stakeholders to advance the inclusion of persons with disabilities in development efforts.

The United Nations System and other International Organizations

The agencies, programmes and bodies of the United Nations system are playing an important role in the definition of the post-2015 international development agenda. While each member of the family contributes by bringing their own perspective and mandate^xxiii it is important that the collective delivers as one to incorporate the issue of disability into the discussions, identifying the key barriers that need to be addressed and the main opportunities-- such as the use of ICTs -- that can be leveraged to achieve a post-2015 disability-inclusive development agenda.

In this context, the expert views gathered in the consultation highlight that the most urgent action to be undertaken by the UN system is the implementation of operational activities to meet the disability-inclusive development goals, complemented by the monitoring and evaluation of development efforts at the global, regional and national levels along with the performance review to assess whether development policies, programmes and projects are effective and results-driven (see figure 15) In this respect, it is important to ensure that the analysis of results is quantitative and supported by consistent data. The necessary national and global data on the use of ICT by persons with disabilities at the national and global levels has yet to be collected. It is also important to ensure that analysis of results is designed with the participation of persons with disabilities, in order to make sure that the correct factors are measured. Lastly, the United Nations has to continue implementing awareness-raising activities and mobilization campaigns in order to create a demand for national governmental action.

Figure 15: Priority actions for international organizations

United Nations

Priority actions	Prioritization
Carrying out operational activities to meet the disability-inclusive development goals	#1
Monitoring and evaluating development efforts on the global, reg. and national level	#2
Analysing results to determine whether development policies, programmes and projects are effective	= #3
Setting awareness raising and mobilization campaigns to create a demand for action	= #3

International Organizations

Priority actions	Prioritization
Carrying out operational activities to meet the disability-inclusive development goals	#1
Monitoring and evaluating development efforts on the global, reg. and national level	#2
Analysing results to determine whether development policies, programmes and projects are effective	= #3
Setting awareness raising and mobilization campaigns to create a demand for action	= #3

Source: Authors, based on the results of the ICT consultation

The United Nations system can also take a more active role in identifying and engaging relevant stakeholders to promote collaboration across the broad range of actors for the development of ICT-enabled solutions for persons with disabilities. Such stakeholders include ICT manufacturers, developers, and vendors, as well as creators and distributers whose content can be made accessible in different languages and through various types of ICT. This is particularly necessary for the development of technical standards, building capacity, sharing good practices and encouraging new partnership mechanisms. At the community level, it is important that the whole community organizations are trained on how to maximize the potential of ICT to improve the social, economic and political participation of persons with disabilities in the community life.

International organizations such as ITU and UNESCO are another key category of stakeholders, as they also play a special role in providing a neutral platform from which develop and harmonize international standards and provide recommendations related to accessible ICT. Furthermore, international organizations can contribute to the promotion of research and development focused on developing specific ICT-enabled solutions for persons with disabilities. Lastly, international organizations bear the responsibility to raise policy makers’ awareness of accessibility barriers to be addressed.

These priority actions were highlighted as essential for removing the barriers that still prevent persons with disabilities from accessing social and economic opportunities. The next section complements this roadmap with a set of indicators for measuring progress towards a disability-inclusive economic and social development.

The Role of Private Sector

Private sector entities are already playing a key role in designing, manufacturing, developing and putting into the market key ICT-enabled solutions for persons with disabilities. However, this crucial contribution may currently be limited due to the high cost that many of these solutions imply for persons with disabilities, in particular in developing contexts. Addressing this issue and introducing measures to lower the cost of assistive solutions are main priority actions identified in the context of the consultation (see figure 16).

Figure 16: Priority actions for the private sector

Private Sector

Priority actions	Prioritization
Lowering the cost of assistive technologies	#1
Training information technology professionals on ICT accessibility	#2
Strengthening research and development to develop new ICT-enabled solutions for persons with disabilities	#3

Source: Authors, based on the results of the ICT consultation

Increasing research and development in this area and incorporating universal design principles at the earliest stage of product development would be two approaches to address the cost issue. Although these actions may mean higher development costs, this additional investment presents an important market opportunity, considering that the annual disposable income of persons with disabilities and their relatives represents US$9 trillion^xxiv.

Available best practices indicate that there is value in involving persons with disabilities in product development in early development stages, testing, focus groups, as well as at various decision-making levels. Incorporating personal experiences and insights of each group of persons with disabilities allows better understanding and meeting their needs and contributes to making products and services accessible by design.

Another priority action is to address the shortage of information technology professionals with ICT accessibility skills. This shortage can be addressed by organising internal training programmes on ICT accessibility, adding this issue to university curricula, as well as to programmes of conferences carried out by professional societies and in periodicals published by each segment of the industry.

The private sector can help raising awareness of policy-makers and civil society organizations on existing accessible devices and services. This can be done through corporate and product-related communication activities and through the designation of a corporate liaison to coordinate these activities.

Finally, the private sector has a vital role to play regarding the employment of persons with disabilities. By removing attitudinal barriers and making the workplace accessible, employers can greatly contribute to a society where persons with disabilities can participate in work life, and have increased independence.

The Role of Civil Society and Organizations of Persons with Disabilities

Organizations of persons with disabilities and other civil society organizations are essential in promoting coordinated action among persons with disabilities and other citizens. They positively contribute to development efforts as they allow mobilizing social capital and organizing collective action, thus enhancing interactions between communities and other stakeholders.

Civil society organizations can play a key role in promoting the use of ICT as an enabler of a disability-inclusive development framework. In particular, they have a tremendous priority identified in the consultation (see figure 17). Additionally, these organizations can contribute to the development of relevant national policies through their involvement in national consultations led by policy makers. Civil society organizations also need to become more active in the work conducted by international standards organizations that are working on these technologies, including consortium-based and voluntary standards, as well as formal standards developed by organizations such as the ITU, the International Standards Organization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), which are open to the participation of civil society. New multi-sectorial and multi-stakeholder partnership mechanisms and initiatives are also encouraged between international organizations such as UNESCO or ITU and civil society as it helps to ensure long-term sustainability of initiatives for inclusion of persons with disabilities, maximise participation, and oversee the monitoring and implementation of policies and practices.

Figure 17: Priority actions for the civil society and organizations of persons with disabilities

Civil Society

Priority actions	Prioritization
Raising policy makers’ awareness of accessibility barriers to be addressed	#1
Mainstreaming the use of universal design principle	#2
Getting organizations of persons with disabilities involved in policy making	#3

Organizations of Persons with Disabilities

Priority actions	Prioritization
Training persons with disabilities to use accessible ICTs	#1
Raising persons with disabilities’ awareness of what ICTs can do to facilitate their economic and social inclusion	#2
Getting organizations of persons with disabilities involved in policy making	#3

Source: Authors, based on the results of the ICT consultation

Civil society organizations also have the ability to bring about social progress and economic growth by raising the awareness of persons with disabilities and their parents of what ICT can do to facilitate their economic and social inclusion. In addition, these organizations can undertake extensive training^xxv of persons with disabilities on the use of these ICT tools. Such training could cover the whole range of potential uses, such as adopting ICT for basic communications, accessing key public services or using ICT in a professional context. Lastly, one priority action to be considered by civil society organizations is advocacy for the mainstreaming of the use of the universal design principle in all development efforts. This would contribute to ensuring that the international development framework is disability-inclusive.

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